Underground Blaster Safely Destroys Gophers

Underground Blaster Safely Destroys Gophers MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Pest Animals 23-5-32 Underground blasters designed to blow up gophers, ground squirrels, badgers, prairie dogs, and other burrowing animals in their tunnels have been used for years. But an Idaho company says it's come up with a new blaster that's safer to use than anything on the market. The Rodex 4000 is a 4 1/2-ft. long wand that mixes oxygen with propane. It uses an electronic solid state ignition system powered by two 9-volt batteries to develop a large controlled spark at the end of the wand, which ignites the gases in the tunnel system. To kill gophers with the blaster, you locate the tunnel, stick the wand into the open hole and pump in about 45 to 60 seconds worth of propane and oxygen. Then you simply push a switch on the handle which sends a spark to the end of the wand, setting off a concussion that cracks open the tunnel up to 40 ft. away. You withdraw the wand, which isn't damaged, after the explosion. "It's a real weapon of mass destruction yet it's safer than anything else on the market," says Dan Newton, who along with Monte Meyer invented the unit. "It's all electronic so you can't set it off accidentally. When you inject the gas into the tunnel there's a 1 1/2-second ignition delay which allows all the gas to exit the barrel before it can be fired. It won't fire as long as gas is still in the barrel. It's equipped with a swivel handle that makes it easy to hold onto. We've been testing it for three years and know that it will have a multi-year life span even under heavy use. "Cost is less than 10 cents per blast. "The explosive concussion not only kills rodents but also destroys the tunnel system so neighboring gophers can't move in and take over. It also works well with badgers, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, woodchucks and moles." The unit comes with safety gear including helmet, face shield, ear muffs, safety glasses, and additional ear protection. There's also 50 ft. of hose as well as regulators for propane and oxygen tanks (not supplied). Sells for $1,225. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Rodex Industries, Inc., Box 160, Midvale, Idaho 83645 (ph 800 750-4553; fax 208 355-2504).

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